A former Maryland men’s basketball point guard and captain has reportedly died.
Rudy Gersten, a diehard Maryland fan and executive director of the Center for Equal Opportunity, shared on X/Twitter Thursday afternoon that former Terrapin Kevin McLinton had passed away.
“Sad news to share for Terp nation. Kevin McLinton, starting PG and co-captain in the early Gary Williams era, has died,” said Gersten. “He was 52. Father of 2, son of all time Redskins great Harold McLinton, Kevin led Springbrook to state titles in football & basketball before MD. Rest In Peace.”
McLinton played four seasons for the Terps from 1989-93, serving as a full-time starter for his final three years. He was a reliable player for Gary Williams as the coach helped bring Maryland out of a dark period following NCAA sanctions.
As a senior, McLinton averaged 15.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He averaged 11.3 points per contest for his career, and his 5.2 assists per game still ranks fourth on the program’s all-time list, while his 1.5 steals per game are good for ninth in Maryland history.
McLinton was most recently coaching his son KJ, a promising member of the class of 2027, on the AAU circuit.
Our thoughts and prayers are with McLinton’s former teammates, coaches, friends and family during this difficult time.